Suction nozzle



E. S. LYNGER Nov. 26, 1940.

SUCTION NOZZLE Filed July 5, 1956 f 2 VINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION NOZZLE poration of Delaware Application July a, 1936, ,Serial No. 88,732 In Germany July 8, 1935 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction nozzles for use in connection with vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to a suction nozzle having a suction opening the size of which may be al- 5 tered at the will of the operator.

For removing the ordinary dirt found on and in a'fioor covering, it is desirable to have a comparatively large nozzle opening in order that a maximum amount of surface may be covered in 1 a minimum of time., However, certain articles, such as threads, dog hairs, lint and the like tend to adhere to the surface of the covering with such tenacity that they are not removed by the air flow through a nozzle having a comparatively large opening, but may be removed if the velocity of air flow is increased. Such increase may be best effected by decreasing the area of the suction opening.

Among the objects of the present invention is.

to provide a nozzle in which the size of the suction opening may be altered at will and without removing the nozzle from the surface bein cleaned. a

. .Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and of which:

embodiment of the invention;

7 Fig. is a view of an element shown in Fig. 1;-

-' and a Fig; 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing another embodiment.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, reference character "designates a body member provided with surface contacting lips 4| between which is formed an elongated opening 42. Member 4|} is formed withcylindrical surfaces 43-adiacent to opening ,40 42 on which is rotatably mounted a member 44 having a cylindrical portion 45 and formed with an elongated slot 46 therein adapted to register with suction opening 42.1 Member 44 is secured to member-4Q by means of pins 41 which engage 45 the opposite closed ends of member 44 and ears 48 which are integral with member 40. The central part of member 44 is formed as cylinder 48 having an axis extending at right angles to the axis of portion 45.

Rotatably mounted within cylindrical portion 45 is a cylindrical valve member 50 having a port 5| therein. A cylindrical collar 52 is rotatably mounted on cylindrical portion 49, but is fixed against movement in an axial direction by 55 means of a screw 53 engaging a circumferential 1 is a crosssectional view of a preferred slot 54 formed in member 49. The interior of collar 52 is formed with screw threads 55 which engage a sleeve 56 slidably within cylindrical portion 49. Sleeve 56 is formed with an arm 51 which pivotally engages one edge of valve mem- 5 ber 50 as is shown at 6!]. Engagement of arm 51 with the valve member prevents rotation of sleeve 56 within cylindrical portion 49. A hollow rigid handle 6| is adapted to be securely fastened to member 52, the other end of the handle w being connected to a vacuum cleaner unit 62 by means of a flexible hose 63. Hose 63 is preferably connected to handle 6| by means of a rotatable connection 64 of any known kind, whereby the handle may be turned without twisting 1 the hose.

The above described device operates as follows:

Handle l6, and consequently members 52, 44 and valve 50 may be rotated as a unit about member without varying the size of the suction opening inasmuch as the width of opening 46 is considerably less than that of suction opening 42. Such pivoting is desirable in order that the handle 6|. may be given an inclination in accordance with the height of the I operator and further, so that it may be lowered toward a horizontal position in order to get under furniture.

If it is desired to reduce the effective size of the so suction opening, handle 6| is rotated about its own axis. This causes member 5Zto rotate in a, similar manner and sleeve 56 is caused to move in an axial direction by virtue of its threaded connection with member 52. Such movement of sleeve 56 causes valve member 54 to be rotated" within cylindrical portion of member 44 thus moving port 5| in the valve member more or less out of alignment with opening 46 in member 44, thus reducing the effective size of this opening. If desired, port 5| may be given the shape shown in Fig. 2, whereby rotation of the valve member a certain amount entirely closes the ends of the port, there being left merely a small central opening bounded by the central 45 curved portion 5la of the port 5|.

Another shape of the opening of the port in the valve member 50 is shown in Fig. 3,.where the opening 5") is triangular. With an opening of this shape, the eiTective size of the opening 50 46 is reduced at a constant rate during a constant turning of the handle 6|.

It will thus be seen that with the nozzle here-. in illustrated and described, the eifective size of the suction opening may be reduced by the operator at will without removing the nozzle from the surface undergoing cleaning.

Although I have shown two more or less specific embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that this has been done for purposes of illustration only and that the scope of my invention is to be limited only by the appended claims viewed in the light of the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. In a suction nozzle, a body having a portion adapted to contact a surface to be cleaned, said portion being formed with a suction opening adjacent to said surface, a hollow rigid handle member pivotal with respect to said body in a vertical plane for moving said body over said surface and for connecting said suction opening to a source of suction, said handle being rotatable relative to said body about an axis other than the pivotal axis, and valve means at said suction opening provided with a terminal opening immediately adjacent to said surface-operative by rotation of said handle about said other axis for decreasing or increasing the eflective area ,of said terminal opening to increase or decrease, respectively, the velocity of air flow through said terminal opening.

2. In a suction nozzle, a body formed with an elongated suction opening of fixed size, a handle for moving said nozzle'over a surface to be cleaned, said handle member being rotatably connected to said body for rotation about an axis substantially coinciding with the longitudinal center line of the handle member and normal to the lengthwise extent of said opening, a valve member turnable about an axis parallel to the lengthwise extent of said opening for varying the eilective size of said opening, and means operative by rotationof said handle relative to said body for moving said valve member.

3. In a suction nozzle, a body formed with an elongated suction opening of fixed size, a handle for moving said nozzle over a surface to be cleaned, a movable valve member having an elongated port of substantially the same length as said suction opening a nd or varying width,

said valve member being so disposed with respect to said body that said port and said opening are alignable and means operative by said handle for moving said valve member relative to said body to alter the alignment of said port with said opening whereby the eflective area of said opening is varied.

4. In a suction nozzle, a body formed with an elongated suction opening of fixed size, a handle for moving said nozzle over a surface to be cleaned, a movable valve member having an elongated port of substantially the same length as said suction opening and of varying width, said valve member being so disposed with respect to said body that-said port and said opening are alignable, said handle being rotatable about its longitudinal axis with respect to said body, and means operative by rotation of said handle for moving said valve member relative to said body to alter the alignment of said port with said opening whereby the efiective area of said opening is varied.

. 5. In a suction nozzle, 9. surface contacting member formed with an elongated suction opening, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted on the first mentioned member and iormed with an elongated opening arranged in communicating relationship with said suction opening and of less width than said suction opening, whereby said members may have limited relative rotation while maintaining the eflective areas of said openings constant, a handle secured to said cylindrical member, a valve member rotatably mounted within said cylindrical member and having a port of substantially'the same length as said openings and of varying width, said handle being rotatable about its longitudinal axis with respect to said body, and means operative by rotation 01' the handle for rotating said valve member to alter the alignment of said :port with the opening in said cylindrical member to thereby vary the effective area or the last mentioned opening. 7

ERIK SIGFRID LYNGER. 

